Napa Civil Service Commission Regular Meeting - March 17, 2025

The Civil Service Commission met in regular session on Monday, March 17, 2025, at 5:15 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers in Napa, California. All five commissioners were present. The commission approved consent calendar items, endorsed a citywide classification plan cleanup, and supported a staff-recommended direction to initiate a City Charter amendment as part of the civil service rules revision process.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the February 24, 2025 Civil Service Commission regular meeting minutes.
• Received a summary of examination results for open examinations, including Police Officer Trainee (PELLET-B T-Score required, continuous), Public Safety Dispatcher II - Lateral (continuous), and Public Safety Dispatch Call Taker.
• Approved staff recommendation to abolish the eligible list for one position: Engineering Assistant - Traffic Signal Operations.
• These routine items were approved by a single motion and vote.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Police Chief Gonzales addressed the commission, thanking members for their service and noting that she is retiring the following month. She expressed appreciation for the commissioners' time and dedication.

Discussion Items

5.A Citywide Classification Plan Annual Clean-Up

Staff recommended the commission recommend that the City Council amend the Classification Plan by deleting six inactive classification specifications: three from NCEA and three from AMP. The commission approved the staff recommendation.

5.B Update on Potential Revision of Civil Service Rules

Staff provided an update on the multi-year project to potentially revise the Civil Service Rules, noting the rules have not been revised since 2014. Stakeholder engagement included the executive team, city attorney's office, management, department staff, and labor groups. Key concerns raised included: internal candidates placed at the top of eligibility lists regardless of exam score; a reduction in the number of eligible names a department may consider (two plus the number of vacancies when an internal candidate is on the list, versus six names otherwise); the 70% pass point; the 10-day minimum job posting period; the separate process for promotional lists; and the prohibition on vacation leave during an employee's first six months. Some of these items appear only in the rules, while others appear in both the rules and the City Charter, such as eligible list size, order of eligibles, probationary periods, and disciplinary procedures. HR also identified additional cleanup areas including flexible staffing, reclassification, extra help versus part-time definitions, and testing procedures.

Staff recommended the commission receive the update and support proceeding with a City Charter amendment to simplify Charter Section 76.1 by retaining only non-duplicative topics (e.g., commission makeup and powers, role of the personnel manager) and removing duplicative procedural language so the details would live in the rules. This approach was intended to avoid repeating prior failed attempts at rule revision; staff proposed a goal of placing a charter amendment before voters in November 2026. During discussion, there was a brief exchange about the required voter threshold, with staff noting one belief that it might be a simple majority, while another participant noted the city attorney's office had indicated it would be a two-thirds vote. Commission members expressed general support for the direction and requested regular updates and a more detailed work plan as the project progresses.

Information Reports

Recruitment Status Report

Staff reported on current recruitments: a physical agility test for police officer trainees was held that day; interviews for housing secretary are scheduled for the following week; applications for water control systems analyst close March 21; continuous recruitments continue for lateral police officers, dispatchers, and firefighter paramedic. Upcoming recruitment events include career fairs at Sonoma State University (March 7), Valley Oak High School (March 28), Solano Community College (April 10), and Napa Valley College (April 30).

Eligible List Expiration Report

Staff reported on six eligible lists scheduled for automatic expiration: public safety dispatch call taker, police officer trainee (one hire from the list), police officer lateral, water lab analyst (one hire), senior office assistant (three hires), and street maintenance worker III (two hires).

Key Outcomes

• Consent calendar approved, including meeting minutes, examination results, and abolishment of the Engineering Assistant - Traffic Signal Operations eligible list.
• Approved a recommendation to the City Council to delete six inactive classifications from the Classification Plan.
• Approved a motion to support staff's recommendation to move forward with Civil Service Rules revision by initiating a City Charter amendment, with the aim of submitting it to voters in November 2026.
• Received the recruitment status report and the eligible list expiration report; these items required no action.
• Next regular meeting scheduled for April 21, 2025.